Born in Frankfurt to a family of illustrators, a life of creativity and design has always been in Paula Knorr’s blood. When she was a kid, her mother would often dress her up in her own creations, and she and her sister would run around playing their games of make believe. Now, after many years of playing dress up, Paula’s dream of being a designer has finally come true. Redefining sexiness for the modern woman, and inspired by the many facets of the female psyche, Paula creates clothes to empower the women who wear them. Think sumptuous gowns in red, gold and glittering lamé, a touch of mesh, and liquid-like velvet.
In 2015, she graduated from an MA at the Royal College of Art, after which she won the ITS Fashion Award in Trieste, Italy. And now, it’s just been revealed, Paula will be joining the likes of Molly Goddard and Ryan Lo as the newest designer to receive NEWGEN support from spring/summer 17. So we thought it was about time you got to know a bit about her…
1. If she wasn’t a designer she’d be an opera singer…
“I wanted to be a opera singer when I was really little but I don’t think I have the talent for it. I’d probably be running a shop or a gallery. I love to manage events and be surrounded by beautiful things.”
2. Being a part of NEWGEN is a dream come true…
“It feels great. It brings back a lot of support that young designers lose when they graduate but desperately need. It also connects you with so many amazing people and gives you the confidence that you are on the right track with your work.”
3. Although meeting Bjork was also pretty major…
“The whole of last year was unbelievable. I never thought I’d get such a great response to my designs. I was also extremely honoured that Björk purchased some outfits and wears them, not just on stage, but also during everyday life. That really showed me that my ideas work.”
4. She’s inspired by the female identity…
“My inspirations are really abstract you can’t define them through pictures or exact stories. It’s more a constant research of female emotions and psyche. To support and illustrate female Identity is the core idea of my fashion.”
5. Although at the moment she’s particularly interested in the notion of sexiness…
“At the moment I find it interesting to explore new ways of sexiness from a woman’s perspective. I would like my designs to reveal a new, personal and realistic idea of sexiness.”
6. Even when she’s not designing clothes, she’s always creating something…
“I am really bad at relaxing so even when I’m not designing, I do weird things like upholstery or woodwork.”
7. When she’s in the studio you can normally find her listening to jazz…
“My studio is my home at the moment and I live with my boyfriend who studies jazz. So most of the time I have no control about the music and have to listen to what he is playing. That can be amazing because you can witness what your partner is creating but on the other hand can also be a little straining.”
8. Her friends would describe her as…
“Restless, hopelessly dyspraxic and a smart Alec but hopefully also caring and funny.”
9. Her ultimate girl band would include…
“Erykah Badu, Björk, Carol King, Jill Scott and Phoebe Killdeer.”
10. The best piece of advice she’s ever received is…
“To be happy with what I am creating and to stop thinking about it too much. I tend to over criticise everything and then loose the fun of doing it.”
Credits
Text Tish Weinstock